Warning Youth about Addictions and Vape Use

SSC Officers Raise Awareness among ESCA Santo Tomás Students at the School Safety Fair

Andrés Chavarría

To inform and raise awareness about the damage caused by the use and abuse of alcohol and drugs, the Escuela Superior de Comercio y Administración (ESCA), Santo Tomás Unit, in collaboration with the Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC), held the School Safety Fair. During this event, SSC officers conducted various activities with the student community.

SSC officers explained to the students the risks of engaging in any activity under the influence of harmful substances and the legal implications applicable to citizens if they are detained.

In the conference "Risk Prevention and Legal Consequences," Second Officer Diana Laura Villalba Núñez discussed addictions and the use of vapes. She mentioned that the World Health Organization (WHO) categorizes addictive drugs into three groups: depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens. Vapes, she said, can be defined as stimulants due to their nicotine levels.

"A regular cigarette contains 8 milligrams of nicotine, whereas vapes contain 20 milligrams, depending on the chemical load and the size of the vape device," stated the speaker.

During the talk, she pointed out that although vaping does not constitute a legal offense, the consumption of other depressant drugs like alcohol and hallucinogens like marijuana does carry legal sanctions for users.

In response to the common belief among the audience that small doses of marijuana are legal, the specialist emphasized: "There are only two ways for it to be legal: one, when a doctor issues a report stating it is necessary for a specific condition along with the recommended grams, and the other is through a judge's order, indicating that its consumption is required for work or study, obviously also endorsed by a doctor with precise dosage instructions."

In the "Armando Cuspinera" auditorium, Villalba Núñez mentioned that young people between 14 and 17 years old are the most vulnerable to consuming harmful substances because they are in a stage where they seek acceptance and integration among their peer groups, which creates pressure to engage in health-damaging behaviors.

The director of ESCA awarded a certificate of appreciation to the police officers for their awareness-raising efforts at the school and urged students to take care of each other and not succumb to social pressures regarding drug use.

Gaceta Politécnica #1792. (May 15th, 2024). IPN Imagen Institucional: Read the full magazine in Spanish here.